Definition: The field of education in which a person has attained their highest qualification relevant to early childhood education and care, as represented by a code.

Components:Report the field of education in which a person has attained their highest qualification relevant to early childhood education and care.

Rationale: To identify and record the field of the highest relevant qualification held by workers employed by the service provider who are providing face to face delivery of a preschool program.

Inclusions:For each person employed by the service provider who is providing face to face delivery of a preschool program, report the highest field of qualification held in accordance with the Australian Standard Classification of Education (ASCED) codes:

Teaching - early childhood related

Teaching - primary

Teaching - other (includes special education and English as a second language)

Child care

Nursing

Other human welfare studies and services

Behavioural science

Other early childhood related

Other qualification/field

Exclusions: Qualifications held by workers employed by the service provider who are not providing face to face delivery of a preschool program. Any person who is not employed by the service provider that may attend and assist in the provision of services, such as volunteer or a parent.

Ensure that the field of education recorded is in relation to the person's highest qualification relevant to early childhood education and care. For example, a worker delivering the preschool program may have a Bachelor degree (honours) in Finance and a Certificate level 3 in Child Care. In this situation the highest relevant qualification is the Certificate level 3 in Child Care. Record 'Child Care' as the field of highest relevant qualification for this worker.

The qualification status of a worker relates to the worker’s currently held relevant qualifications, i.e. only completed qualifications should be reported.

Record only one qualification for each teacher, i.e. each teacher can have only one highest relevant qualification.

The response recorded for this data element must relate directly to the response recorded for the ‘Level of highest qualification in employment field’ data element.

Additional information: Where the field of qualification is unknown, identify the reason for the unknown response and document any follow-up processes undertaken.

Definition: The highest level of qualification a person employed in early childhood education and care has attained in the relevant field, as represented by a code.

Components:Report the level of qualification in which a person has attained their highest qualification relevant to early childhood education and care.

Rationale:To identify and record the level of the highest relevant qualification held by workers employed by the service provider who are providing face to face delivery of a preschool program.

Inclusions: For each person employed by the service provider who is providing face to face delivery of a preschool program, report the highest level of qualification held by the person in accordance with the Australian Standard Classification of Education (ASCED) codes:

Postgraduate degree

Graduate diploma or graduate certificate level

Bachelor degree (honours)

Bachelor degree pass (4 years or equivalent)

Bachelor degree pass (3 years or equivalent)

Advanced diploma

Diploma

Certificate level 3 or 4

Certificate level 1 or 2

Other certificate

Exclusions: Qualifications for workers employed by the service provider who are not providing face to face delivery of a preschool program. Any person who is not employed by the service provider that may attend and assist in the provision of services, such as volunteer or a parent.

1 - Postgraduate degree. This level includes Doctorates and Masters degrees, either by research or course work. Common entry requirements are completion of a Bachelor degree (with or without Honours) and a qualifying year or equivalent, or a research based Graduate diploma.
2 - Graduate diploma and Graduate certificate level. The Graduate diploma is usually the equivalent of one year of full time study, while the Graduate certificate is usually the equivalent of six months of full time study. Entry to a Graduate diploma or Graduate certificate is usually through satisfactory completion of a Bachelor degree or an Advanced diploma, and demonstrated potential to complete work at this level. Postgraduate certificates and diplomas are also included in this category.
3 - Bachelor degree (honours). Honours is the extended period of study in a specialised field which is offered to students in some courses achieving outstanding results in a relevant discipline or demonstrating outstanding achievement in the early years of a Bachelor program.
4 - Bachelor degree pass (4 years or equivalent). Entry to this level is by various pathways which may include the completion of Year 12 or equivalent, or completion of a recognised program and/or recognition of prior learning.
5 - Bachelor degree pass (3 years or equivalent). Entry to this level is by various pathways which may include the completion of Year 12 or equivalent, or completion of a recognised program and/or recognition of prior learning.
6 - Advanced diploma. Education at this level includes analysing information and concepts at an abstract level and executing judgements across a range of technical and management functions. Entry to this level is enabled via various pathways which may include the completion of Year 12 or equivalent, or completion of a recognised program and/or recognition of prior learning.
7 - Diploma. Education at this level may also develop basic management or administrative skills. Entry to this level is by various pathways which may include the completion of Year 12 or equivalent, or completion of a recognised program and/or recognition of prior learning.
8 - Certificate level 3 or 4. Entry to this level is by various pathways which may include the completion of Year 10 or equivalent, or higher, or completion of a recognised program and/or recognition of prior learning.
9 - Certificate level 1 or 2. Entry to this level is by various pathways which may include the completion of Year 10 or equivalent, or higher, or completion of a recognised program and/or recognition of prior learning.
10 - Other certificate. Any certificate not covered by the previous two categories.

Supplementary values:

97 - Not applicable. Use this code when there is no qualification
98 - Unknown. Use this code when the qualification is unknown
98 - Not stated/inadequately described

Counting rules:

The qualification status of a worker relates to the worker’s currently held relevant qualifications, i.e. only completed qualifications should be reported.

A four or three year university qualification refers to the length of the qualification if the whole program was studied full-time.

A 'Bachelor degree pass (3/4 year or equivalent)' includes staff who have been deemed to have the necessary skills and qualifications to be employed as a 3/4 year degree qualified teacher by the jurisdiction.

Ensure that the level of education recorded is in relation to the person's highest qualification relevant to early childhood education and care. For example, a worker delivering the preschool program may have a Bachelor degree (honours) in Finance and a Certificate level 3 in Child Care. In this situation the highest relevant qualification is the Certificate level 3 in Child Care. Record 'Certificate level 3' as the level of highest relevant qualification for this worker.

The response recorded for this data element must relate directly to the response recorded for the ‘Field of highest relevant qualification’ data element.

Additional information: Where the level of qualification is unknown, identify the reason for the unknown response and document any follow-up processes undertaken.

Definition: An indicator of face to face delivery of a preschool program by a person with a relevant university qualification, as represented by a code.

Components: Report whether or not the preschool program is being delivered (face to face) by a person with a relevant university qualification.

Rationale:To identify and record whether or not a structured, play-based, educational preschool program is delivered by a teacher with a relevant university qualification.

Inclusions: Indicate whether a preschool program is delivered by a teacher (or employed person) with a relevant university qualification:

Report a 'Yes' response if the preschool program is being delivered by a person with a relevant university qualification.

Report a 'No' response if the preschool program is not being delivered by a person with a relevant university qualification.

Exclusions: Exclude other programs delivered at the service that are non-preschool programs.

Representation class: Code

Data type: Number

Format: N, for example: 1

Maximum character length: 1

Permissible values:

1 - Yes: Preschool program was delivered by a teacher with a relevant university qualification.

2 - No: Preschool program was not delivered by a teacher with a relevant university qualification.

Supplementary values:9 - Not stated/inadequately described

Counting rules:

A teacher is to be counted as delivering a preschool program if they delivered the program at least once within the reference week. For example, in a long day care setting, a care worker delivers a 'preschool program', however the care worker does not hold a relevant qualification. This would result in a 'No' response as the 'program' is not being delivered by a teacher with relevant qualifications. Alternatively, a 'Yes' response would be inputted if a teacher with relevant qualifications is delivering the preschool program.

'Once' during the reference week is to be defined as at least one whole session of the preschool program.

Additional information:Where the indicator response is unknown, identify the reason for the unknown response and document any follow-up processes undertaken.

Role of early childhood education and care worker

Technical name:Person - role of early childhood education and care worker, code N.

Definition: The usual role of the person in the course of their employment in early childhood education and care, as represented by a code.

Components: Report information relating to the usual role performed by the person employed at the service.

Rationale: To identify and record the usual role performed be the person at the service. The role that each ECE worker undertakes will determine whether or not they are involved in delivery of the preschool program.Inclusions: Include all persons employed by the service provider and assign their usual role undertaken as one of the following:

Director, coordinator or teacher in charge

Group leader/teacher

Assistant/aide

Other contact worker

Non-contact workers

Exclusions:Any person who is not employed by the service provider that may attend and assist in the provision of services, such as a volunteer or a parent.

Representation class: Code

Data type: Number

Format: N, for example: 2

Maximum character length: 1

Permissible values:

1 - Director/coordinator/teacher in charge: A person with overall responsibility for managing the service.
2 - Group leader/teacher: A teacher responsible for a group of young children.
3 - Assistant/aide: A contact worker who helps the teacher/group leader.
4 - Other contact worker: Includes people who provide additional or supplementary services for children, such as a dance teacher, music therapist, disability support worker, librarian or speech therapist.
5 - Non contact worker: Workers who have no direct contact with children and primarily contribute to the running of the service or provide support services.

Supplementary values:9 - Not stated/inadequately described

Counting rules:

Count the usual role that the employed person undertakes on a day to day basis. For example, if a person spends 70% of their time undertaking the role of a non contact worker and 30% of their time as a teacher (i.e. as a relief teacher), record the main role of the person as a 'non contact worker'.

Additional information:Where the role of the person is unknown, identify the reason for the unknown response and document any follow-up processes undertaken.

Definition:The type of work performed by a person in the course of their employment in early childhood education and care, as represented by a code.

Components:Report information relating to the usual work activity performed by the person employed at the service.

Rationale:To identify and record the usual work activity performed by the person at the service. The activity that each worker undertakes will determine whether or not they are involved in delivery of the preschool program.

Inclusions: Include all persons employed by the service provider and assign their usual work activity as one of the following:

Primary contact work

Other contact work

Administration only

Other work

Exclusions: Any person who is not employed by the service provider that may attend and assist in the provision of services, such as a volunteer or a parent.

Representation class: Code

Data type: Number

Format:N

Maximum character length: 1

Permissible values:

1 - Primary contact work: Involves mainly direct contact with children receiving services. Workers who fall into this category include child care workers, teachers, teachers’ assistants and aides, specialist teachers and therapists.
2 - Other contact work: Where there are some duties involving direct contact with children, but dealing mainly with staffing or management issues, for example, supervising staff or handling queries from parents. This may include preschool centre managers and coordinators.
3 - Administration only: Where there is no direct contact with children. Work could include clerical or receptionist duties, filing, keeping financial records etc.
4 - Other work: Includes support services such as cooking, cleaning or gardening. This may include drivers, cooks, cleaners and maintenance staff.

Supplementary values: 9 - Not stated/inadequately described

Counting rules:

Count the usual work activity that the employed person undertakes on a day to day basis. For example, if a person spends 70% of their time dealing with administration tasks and 30% of their time as a teacher in direct contact with the children receiving the preschool program (i.e. as a relief teacher), record the type of work activity of the person as 'Administration only'.

Additional information: Where the type of work activity is unknown, identify the reason for the unknown response and document any follow-up processes undertaken.

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